Sophie's Dilemma
by Lost-Remembrance
Summary: It all felt right-felt like home-here with her makeshift family, but would it last?


Disclaimer: I don't own Howl's Moving Castle or any of the characters. They belong to their respective owners.

Fandom: Howl's Moving Castle

Dedicated to Uplifted, my beloved sister who loves HMC just as much, if not more, than me.

Note: Set During the Movie. Sorry for any OOCness. Oneshot.

Sophie's Dilemma

She fell into a rhythm. There was something about the place and the company that settled her soul and bones. She felt content-and not in the way that she was back at the hat shop. This was a different feeling.

Calcifur was grumbling in the background about how much effort and energy it took to move the castle, bringing a smile to her lips. Briefly, Sophie closed her eyes and took in the moment.

Markl was off in his room, presumedly studying his magick to become a better wizard like Howl. Her mind took a different turn at the magician's name and her heart, dare she admit, skipped a beat. There was no question that the man was a heart breaker (the Witch of the Waste was credit to that), but perhaps that was just his nature.

Her heart sunk for a moment at the thought, unknowingly to her, her body also stooped and aged as her thoughts twisted down a darker row. She was a plain little thing, she knew her sister was the prettier of the children-she had heard the whispers and seen the men she admired have eyes only for her blonde bombshell of a sister.

How could a man such as Howl ever come to love her? After all, now she wasn't just a plain little thing he could keep around for entertainment, she was an old grandma! She was just a cleaning lady. Her bones started to ache and Sophie moved slowly over to a nearby stool.

"Sophie?" Calcifur questioned-why was the fiesty little fire demon giving her that strange look? Sophie didn't bother opening her tired eyes, she just made a questioning sound in her throat. "Are you okay?"

Again, she made a sound in her throat before peeking her tired old eyes back open to see Calcifur continue his searing stare. "I'm all right, Calcifur. These old bones are just a little tired..." She slouched a little further into the chair.

There was such a weight on her shoulders...

The little fire demon said nothing, just reached and grabbed another log and shoved it into his mouth. Sophie felt his gaze for a few more minutes before he turned his attention to other matters.

A sudden pitter patter of feet coming from upstairs woke Sophie up (when had she fallen asleep?) and Markl came running down the stairs with a wide grin on his face.

"Sophie!" Markl called out, taking the stairs two at a time before he ran over to the now-younger woman. "Sophie!" He continued to chant as he tackled her into a hug to her surprise.

"What is is Markl?"

"Can we have a special dinner tonight? I finally finished up my lesson on charms!" Markl grinned, "Howl said I did a good job!"

"That's wonderful Markl!" Sophie smiled just as wide as the young boy, petting his hair as she tried to make it take a more reasonable, less gravity-defying shape.

The more refined steps of Howl's shoes signaled the wizard's approach. Markl was rambling off food choices while Calcifur bickered with the child, questioning him on just who was going to be making this feast, much to everyone's amusement.

Howl's smiling face and eyes soon greeted the members of the moving castle. Sophie thought, just for a brief moment, she thought she saw something there in his light blue eyes, but she brushed it off as a trick of the light.

"Sophie," Howl approached the woman, "It appears Markl has already told you the news. I hope you don't mind-?"

Sophie smiled, "Of course not! It's a special occasion after all-I'm sure even Calcifur would love a special meal to commemorate Markl's progress." The young wizard in training cheered and even Calcifur's grumbling was half-hearted as he thought of tasting Sophie's cooking-and not leftovers this time!

Later, as they all sat at the table, with the exception of Calcifur, who made sure none forgot him in the fireplace, Sophie thought of her previous doubts and fears. Howl caught her eye and, with a smirk, started to weave a new tale that enthralled Markl, and with a smile on her face she cast away any such thoughts.

Here and now, it felt like a family. She felt home. And that was all that mattered.

FIN


End file.
